They've tried it before, and they may try it again. eBay sellers have long been happy using PayPal to print shipping labels for orders, preferring it over eBay's newer system. Last fall, and again in May, eBay tried to move everyone over from PayPal to the eBay shipping label program. Some cynics suggested it was a way for eBay to record additional revenue.

At the time, eBay spokesperson Johnna Hoff responded to our inquires by stating, "In order to simplify the label printing process for eBay sellers, we are replacing PayPal USPS single shipping label printing with the eBay USPS single shipping label process. The previous process required sellers to log into eBay, and log into PayPal. Now, if sellers want to print a label through PayPal, they can log in to PayPal directly and save time. The view sellers will see will now be the same on both eBay and PayPal. As we roll out this change, we expect to add new features and mailing services on PayPal."

But the eBay shipping label system was not ready for prime time, and eBay once again allowed sellers to use PayPal's shipping label flow.

Now, UPS has sent a letter to sellers telling them that starting in May 2013, purchasing and printing UPS labels through PayPal will no longer be offered. However, UPS shipping services will continue to be available to eBay sellers when listing items for sale.

It looks like eBay may once again try to move sellers from the PayPal system to the eBay system next year.

UPS also informed sellers about its own system for printing shipping labels. The shipping carrier wrote, "As an alternative, UPS Internet Shipping with My UPS offers a comprehensive set of features and services to support your eBay shipping needs."

I'll see if eBay will share more information about the UPS letter. In the meantime, let us know what you're seeing and what you think of the two shipping label programs. And in the meantime, head over to the AuctionBytes Blog and take our survey about your use of shipping carriers and services!

Interesting. It looks like UPS don't want to share profits with eBay. Just one question for UPS.

Does seller can still pay with PayPal the UPS labels?

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Ric

Fri Nov 2 10:42:12 2012

As a seller, I have always considered the ability to print shipping labels part of the service I was paying PayPal for out of the fees they take from my transactions. If PayPal is going to refuse the service and convenience they offer by eliminating the shipping label service, then I would realistically expect a reduction in fees.

Twice now PayPal has tried to push sellers to use eBay shipping and I simply refuse to follow their demand.

eBay shipping is poorly designed, as well as being a poorly coded nightmare. When I was first forced to use it, I often received system not available messages preventing me from accomplishing the task I was there to accomplish. From what I read, the platform has not improved and experiences near daily breakdowns and system outages.

We were pushed to eBay for the second time in eBay back in May/June, our solution was to utilize PayPal Multi Order Shipping instead. 3 weeks ago, PayPal Multi Order Shipping stopped working. A call to PayPal produced the following response... " We are aware of the issue. We have no idea when PPMOS will be fixed. When I asked if this meant that PayPal was closing PPMOS to force sellers over to eBay, the agent simply parroted the same response as they were ordered to do.... another useless Peggy.

We simply refuse to use eBay's unreliable system. We have started processing all of our Priority Shipping labels on the USPS Click N Ship website to deny eBay the revenue from our Priority Mail Shipments, and we use PayPal Ship Now at this link: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now for all of our First Class Mail labels.

eBay believes they will show increased revenue by forcing sellers to process labels through eBay as part of their deceive Wall Street plan.

eBay Corp will end up losing 100% of the revenue they earn from me if they eliminate PayPal shipping.

I would rather pay a fee to a third party to process shipping labels than process them for free through eBay. I will not be a willing participant in their revenue shifting scheme to bamboozle Wall Street.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Nan

Fri Nov 2 12:06:18 2012

If you guys haven't checked out the downloadable version of Click-N-Ship for business lately, it's worth a look. It's been upgraded, and much more powerful that it used to be.

https://www.usps.com/business/click-n-ship-for-business.htm

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Tula

Fri Nov 2 12:37:37 2012

I won't use ebay's shipping, either. I have an Endicia account and started using that once Paypal shipping stopped working. Endicia will update tracking numbers on ebay directly, if you choose to enable that option. Otherwise, it's easy to go through your shipping log and cut and paste tracking numbers if you prefer that. As a plus, Endicia offers many more label options than ebay/Paypal, so I can actually print smaller ones that fit better on some of my tinier packages and envelopes. They don't offer UPS or Fedex, though, but both of those services have their own label-printing processes.

I simply don't trust ebay with these labels. We've already seen people being hit with fraud and label theft, and that's something I'd prefer to avoid. Paying a small fee for a service every month is worth it for the added security and flexibility of label options.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: pace306

Fri Nov 2 12:37:58 2012

A new day, a new eBay/Paypal gimmick .... YAWN.

There are many alternatives to ebay & Paypal USPS shipping ... use any of them and deprive eBay of the $ as mentioned above by RIC.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Mr. Me

Fri Nov 2 13:08:00 2012

ebayspeak translation ......."In order to simplify the XXXXXXX for eBay sellers" = "in order to put mote $$$$ into our greedy pockets"

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Spartacus

Fri Nov 2 14:11:13 2012

I no longer sell on fleabay but I do begrudgingly accept Paypal for customers as a convenience. I've been using Paypal to print labels for those sales as Paypal requires tracking information in case of claims. Obviously, this news is wonderful. Just the kick in the nuts I need to drop Paypal altogether.

@Nan, I only ship via First Class, First Class International and Media Mail. I wish USPS would finally get their act together with Click-n-Ship. It just seems insane that USPS doesn't offer these services online.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Steevo

Fri Nov 2 15:50:05 2012

The UPS letter offered us some commercial software that connected ebay to UPS Worldship. We use Worldship, but we pretty much hate it. Kind of awful.

They said the software was over $300 but we could get a three year license free.

I suspect Paypal was passing the shipping money across to UPS at no charge to them, and that contract is now up. Paypal wants fees.

We have been discussing switching to FedEx ground. I wonder if that's now connected through ebay/Paypal?

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: monkey

Fri Nov 2 17:51:19 2012

I agree with Spartie -- I send a lot of items Media Mail, which is unavailable on Click & Ship (last time I checked).

I love the convenience of printing labels through eBay to PayPal. A couple of clicks and you're done. Pretty flawless in my experience.

Can anybody suggest an alternative that's just as simple, and offers the full range of USPS services?

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Patricia

Fri Nov 2 18:09:14 2012

Will we still be able to print labels on Paypal if the transaction was NOT related to Ebay? I'm asking because I have a Paypal shopping cart on my website.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Ed Gadfly

Sat Nov 3 10:40:29 2012

I hate how eBa'al sticks their vile logo on the label I paid for. I cross it out with a marker.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Ma

Sat Nov 3 17:52:43 2012

Multi-order shipping is still working for me. I used it just a few minutes ago. If it's not working for you, I suggest you check your default payment method. If it's set to a card that might get declined, for example, multi-order shipping won't work. I found this out the hard way. Paypal customer service doesn't know it. Try it.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: windsorbear

Sat Nov 3 22:19:18 2012

Ed, that's why I print eBay shipping labels using a Dymo printer instead of an inkjet. There is no eBay or PayPal logo ANYWHERE on the small Dymo shipping labels... just the HUGE barcode, the tiny shipping and return addresses, and the Pitney Bowes codes and info. Print, Peel, Slap it on, and MAIL!

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: JackieBlue

Sun Nov 4 01:00:55 2012

Not sure why anyone would use Paypal or eBay's shipping. The only, albeit minor, advantage is that you can pay the shipping with Paypal. Is that a big deal? We have used Stamps.com and Shipworks (Endicia) over the last several years. Shipworks is good and you can integrate Amazon, eBay and a website (if you are willing to pay) and it can use multiple carriers including USPS, FedEx, and UPS. It also uploaded the tracking information and marked items as shipped. We switched in October to our own custom written software because we sell on multiple marketplaces not supported by Shipworks but for most businesses Shipworks would work fine.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Sierra

Sun Nov 4 23:34:04 2012

Ed, I just cut off that part of the label. Been doing it for years!

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Heidi

Mon Nov 5 00:04:43 2012

I have had only good experiences using ebay shipping. It is fast and easy. I can print international as well as first class labels.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: comet

Mon Nov 5 00:24:30 2012

Sharpie

Post office

There.

I fixed it.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: comet

Mon Nov 5 00:25:28 2012

Oh sorry---missed one link

Paypal debit card to pay for the postage. Immed email rcpt by time I am home.

there.

I really fixed it.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Marie

Mon Nov 5 02:26:09 2012

I haven't had a choice for a long time now. Even if I click on doing the label in PP, it kicks me to Ebay's program to do the actual label.

I miss the PP labels, they were so much easier to create. Far less clicks. If PP were allowed to add the other services that Ebay has [which Ebay won't allow PP to add], it would be perfect.

It's just sad that Ebay forces us to use yet another program that does nothing but cost sellers time. It is not easier that PP's method.

eBay to Deprecate PayPal Shipping Labels in 2013?

by: Tim

Mon Nov 5 03:43:14 2012

Why anyone would give PayPal or eBay more of their money, time, data, and trust than they have to is beyond me. For very little, you can use Stamps.com or Endicia. If you have any volume at all the printing options alone will save the $10.00 or so a month. I use a thermal printer which allows for small labels - right there saving a ton of money.

And, most importantly, eBay doesn't get a dime of my shipping cost payout and does not see any raw data, other than what they already know, from my customers. And, I am not subject to eBay/PayPal shenanigans or monthly changes.

Really, is $10.00 (that you can make back) so much that you willingly give eBay more power over you and your business?

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